Enough Innovation, More Replication: A Call to Disrupt the Current Thinking on Global Education

Overview & Synopsis

In 2015, the United Nations ratified the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, several of which concern education. Much of what is targeted for education follows from what has yet to be achieved per the Millennium Development Goals 15 years ago. The top three education priorities per the UN's Global Education First Initiative are: put every child in school, improve the quality of learning, and foster global citizenship. And while there has been real progress on the global education front over the past 15 years, the reality is that much of the focus on education has been one-dimensional: getting children into schools. This article asserts that beyond just getting kids into school, there is a need to focus global education efforts in the following five areas: (1) Absorptive capacity of the school facilities; (2) Availability of materials and supplies for students and teachers; (3) The quantity and quality of teachers, developing teachers and building their capacity to engage effectively; (4) Providing opportunities for life-long learning and development; and (5) Increasing funding across the board. [This article was originally published 30 September 2015, on Devex.]